The Latest: Don Blankenship reports to California prison

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The Latest on Ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship, who is scheduled to report to prison Thursday after being convicted of conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch coal mine, which exploded in 2010, killing 29 men (all times local):

6 p.m.

A spokesman for the U.S. Bureau of Prisons says former Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship has reported to a California prison to begin his one-year sentence.

Spokesman Justin Long says Blankenship is in custody Thursday at a federal facility in Taft, California.

According to the Bureau of Prisons' website, the facility is operated by a private corporation.

Thursday was the deadline for Blankenship to report. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals earlier Thursday denied a motion by his attorneys requesting that Blankenship remain free while he appeals his conviction.

Blankenship was sentenced April 6 to a year in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine for conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch coal mine, which exploded in 2010, killing 29 men.

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9 a.m.

A federal court has denied an emergency motion filed by attorneys for ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship requesting that he remain free while he appeals his conviction.

The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued the ruling Thursday morning, the same day Blankenship is due to report to start serving his one-year prison sentence. Blankenship's attorneys have said he was scheduled to go to an unspecified California federal prison.

Blankenship was sentenced April 6 to a year in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine for conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch coal mine, which exploded in 2010, killing 29 men.

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4:30 a.m.

Ex-Massey Energy CEO Don Blankenship is due to report to start serving his one-year prison sentence.

Blankenship's attorneys filed an emergency motion Tuesday with the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals asking that he remain free while it considers the appeal of his conviction. The appeals court hasn't acted on the request.

Thursday is the deadline for Blankenship to report. Blankenship's attorneys said he was scheduled to go to an unspecified California federal prison.

Blankenship was sentenced April 6 to a year in prison and ordered to pay a $250,000 fine for conspiring to willfully violate mine safety standards at West Virginia's Upper Big Branch coal mine, which exploded in 2010, killing 29 men.

The appeals court previously set a May 31 deadline for initial briefs on Blankenship's conviction appeal.